B00AFYX78I EBOK (18 page)

Treats, Snacks and Eating Out

To Snack or not to Snack

The
debate about ‘grazing’ or snacking is one I’ve touched on in the book, and
generally many 5:2 Dieters do avoid eating between meals on Fast Days. But
there are times when you just fancy something NOW and then it makes sense to go
for the lower-calorie options rather than choose something that will undo the
good you’ve done by fasting…

Health food shops are a good source of nuts or trail mix,
but do check the nutritional values. My favourite snack food ever – Thai Chilli
Rice Crackers – look as though they should be super-healthy but most are very
high calorie…

UK firm
Graze.com
delivers snacks in a letter-box
sized container, with four mini-packs of sweet and savoury snacks including
nuts, dried fruit and even chocolate mixes. Some are healthier than others but you
can ask for a Light option and they usually offer the first boxes at
half-price.

I tend to find I crave either something sweet or savoury, so
here are some options for those moments when a mug of green tea won’t do.

Savoury Snacks and Treats

Sweet Snacks and Treats

Eating Out

I
am veering into the department of the obvious here but I try
not
to eat
out on Fast Days as it’s really hard to make good choices, plus you have no
real idea how many calories you’re consuming. You will have read earlier on in
my diary about my Temptation Incident, where I went out planning to have soup
at my favourite cafe, only to find it’s not served at weekends. So I plumped
for Eggs Florentine, which probably contained my entire daily allowance, but
kept me full all day.

If
you are out and about, make the choices you’d make for other diets - ask for
bread to be taken off the table, or give it to your dining companion. Choose
soups, ideally vegetable-based and non-creamy, and salads, and ask for the
dressing on the side. Lean fish or chicken with veggies is not exciting but
will usually give you some control. If all else fails - if you want to give
into temptation or suddenly have something to celebrate - then it’s even
simpler. Fast tomorrow instead!

Fast Day Meal Plans for
all Tastes

You’ve
got all the tools you need to plan your own Fast Days – but as an extra aid,
I’ve outlined some daily meal plans, using these recipes and ready-made meals.
Use them as the basis for your own meal planning if you find it useful… or go
your own way! There’s also a blank template for your own use.

Of
course, men get an extra 100 calories on top of the 500 allowed for women – so
I’ve added an extra Man’s Ration to those days!

An
asterisk after the dish means the recipe is featured in this book.

The Big Salad Lunch Day

This
is one of my real meal days – a massive, delicious, no-holds-barred salad eaten
outdoors with friends on a picnic. Slightly over in terms of calories, but
plenty of protein and fat that kept me from getting hungry until next day.

Optional
Man Ration
:
125 ml of chenin blanc white wine (perfect with this picnic salad) = 110
calories

A Soupy Day on the Go

A
day to prove you have two fairly filling meals and a snack – or two snacks if
you’re male!

Optional
Man Ration:
1
medium banana (90 cals) or small bag of Twiglets (98 cals)

Family Friendly Feast

For
those days when you don’t want to cook separate dishes for the family – or when
you don’t want anyone to notice you’re on a diet. Simply eat the same dishes
but serve extras (granola and lots of yogurt for breakfast, extra toast with
butter and cheese for lunch, portion of pilau rice and chicken or prawns for
dinner ) to your family and they won’t even notice…

Optional
Man Ration: 1/3
^rd
portion of Tilda microwaved wholegrain pilau = 98 calories

Three Square (Ready) Meals

Three
satisfying but easily prepared meals for when you have very little time!

Optional
Man Ration:
1
stoneground bread roll or slice bread 80-95 calories

The Big Breakfast

Enjoy
a super-satisfying breakfast/brunch to keep you full all day!

Optional
Man Ration:
125ml
freshly squeezed orange juice (63 cals), 100 grams mixed frozen berries (30
cals) – either whole, or blended together as a smoothie.

Celebration Time

If
you plan it carefully, you can still go to the ball… of course, when you’re
eating out, calories are approximate but these are all safe bets!

2
x grissini Italian breadsticks (40 cals), 1 tablespoon guacamole (25), 1 mini
cocktail sausage (30) = 95

Blank Planning Template

Use
to plan and then monitor your own Fast Days. Record your mood and thoughts as
you progress – to help you work out what’s the best balance for you.

There’s
a downloadable, printable version via kate-harrison.com/5-2diet or